Four Comets

[Chip]

I predict the superstitious fringe will make up something about this, whereas those of us who just enjoy astronomy will...well...enjoy it!

Not one - not two - but four comets that are a bit easier to see (among others that aren't,) are coming our way:

Comet Encke - October (end of month) - Becomes morning object in December 2003 (Close to M31 on Oct. 25th)

Comet C/2002 07 Linear* - October into November 2003 (Can be seen from the Southern hemisphere - In fact on November 10th = 1 degree from the South celestial pole!)

Comet Neat - April - May 2004

Comet C/2002 T7 Linear - May 2004 (10th magnitude now and into November)

Look them up here:
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eph

From the carnival of superstitious weirdos will possibly come:
1. Its an omen...etc...(four omens actually) (Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?)
2. Planet X sent them (even though they've been here before...)
3. "Four comets in a row" will be coined by TV and mislead people to visualize something like Shoemacker-Levy even though these comets are in different places and times in the sky.
4. Someone will predict that "four comets in a row" will somehow "effect" Earth. (I predict they will cause certain people to stay up late and stand in cold temperatures - hot chocolate consumption may also rise!) :wink:

*Discovered by "Lincoln Laboratory Near Earth Research" = "Linear"

[Kaptain K]

Comet Neat*

*Near Earth Asteroid Tracking

PS Comet C/2002 T7 Linear "should" be around mag zero at its peak next spring.

[Chip]

Comet Neat*
*Near Earth Asteroid Tracking
PS Comet C/2002 T7 Linear "should" be around mag zero at its peak next spring.

That is neat! Thanks. 8)

[Jim]

We are, of course, doomed.

It just depends on what your definition of "doomed" is.

Is the earth doomed to absolute - or even wide-spread - destruction? Not from these comets.

Is the reasoning portion of the public doomed to the frantic ramblings of those who will predict wide-spread - or even absolute - destruction caused by their passing? Sadly, yes.

So, ignore the doomsayers and enjoy the show. (Who's got the hot chocolate?)

[mike alexander]

In the Wednesday Science page in the (Portland) Oregonian there was a note with the header:

Asteroid passes just 52,000 miles from Earth without burning up

[Ilya]

Asteroid passes just 52,000 miles from Earth without burning up

Well, it's factually true...

[mike alexander]

Moon orbits 240,000 miles from earth without burning up.

Of course...

Scientists discover violently burning ball of gas only 93 million miles from earth - visible to naked eye even during the day